


Ruination

by UnlikelyAuthor



Series: Across the Stars [2]
Category: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Jedi, Order 66, Seduction to the Dark Side, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2019-08-18
Packaged: 2020-09-07 00:33:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20300515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnlikelyAuthor/pseuds/UnlikelyAuthor
Summary: At the twilight of the Republic Jedi knight Anakin Skywalker comes under scrutiny from the Jedi council.  Their actions set in motion a series of events that the forces of the dark side will exploit.A slightly AU take on Anakin's fall to the dark side in Revenge of the Sith.





	Ruination

“Master Obi-Wan news have you?”

Obi-Wan Kenobi looked around at the assembled Jedi masters. They were all present save for Master Windu who was still with the Supreme Chancellor and his former apprentice.

“I have.” He said taking his seat with the other masters. “Anakin and I were successful in freeing the Chancellor. I can also report that Count Dooku is dead, however General Grievous escaped and is still at large.”

The green Jedi sighed and ran his hand over his head. “Unfortunate it is, that killed Dooku you had to.”

“It was Anakin who defeated Dooku and rescued the Chancellor.” Obi-Wan said.

“And where is Anakin now.” Master Mundi asked.

Obi-Wan smiled. “Enjoying his time with the politicians. I’m sure they will love to hear every detail of his duel with Count Dooku.”

Yoda sighed again. “Things to discuss we have. Regarding your former apprentice they do.”

The statement piqued Obi-Wan’s interest. He was unsure what master Yoda could be referring to.

Master Mundi was the first to speak. “We are concerned with the closeness he has to the Chancellor, as well as the rumors about the possibility of him being put onto the council as a means to keep an eye on the Jedi order.”

Obi-Wan knew Anakin looked up to the Chancellor as another mentor, but what was this notion about Anakin joining the council. He was still too young for that and the Jedi would not take kindly to an outside force meddling in the affairs of the Jedi. They were the defenders of the Republic, but they still stood apart from it.

After some thought to the matter he replied. “Anakin has said nothing of these rumors to me.”

“Think you that young Skywalker a pawn he is to Palpatine?” Yoda asked.

“That is likely.” Obi-Wan replied. “The Chancellor has always taken an interest in Anakin, even as a young boy.”

“Valuable your insight is Master Kenobi.” Yoda said as he looked around at the council. “But one other subject we have regarding your former apprentice. And disturbing it is.” The old master added with a troubled voice.

Obi-Wan could only steel himself, what could Anakin have possibly done this time?

* * *

“Ani, I want to go home to Naboo. Have our baby there. We can go to the Lake Country, Varykino even. I’ve been thinking of some different colors we can paint the baby’s room.”

Padmé and Anakin sat together on the veranda overlooking the skyline as the sun set over Coruscant.

“What about the upcoming vote?” He asked.

Padmé ran her hand through her husband’s hair. “It’s later this week. I don’t think we need to leave before then. Is the council going to call you away again, back to the sieges in the Outer Rim?”

“No, I think my next assignment will be here on Coruscant. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s training other Jedi or something.” Anakin said as he ran a hand through his wife’s hair.

“Surely they owe you a little time off. Perhaps I can ask for a Jedi escort again when I go back to Naboo.” They had been apart for so long now that she was nearly ready to give birth. Anakin hadn’t even known she was pregnant during his time away from the capital. She had battled back and forth with sending some sort of coded message to him, but the news was far too personal to be delivered across the galaxy like that.

“I’ll run it by Obi wan first. Just to see if the council is up for letting me go for a while.” He said as he wrapped his wife up in his arms.

Padmé seemed content with his reply.

“I don’t think we should keep this from my family Anakin. My parents at least. They deserve to meet their grandchild and I would like to have my mother around before the baby arrives.”

Anakin remained silent. It was getting harder and harder to live this double life of theirs, especially when they had such limited time together.

“You would want your mother to see our baby wouldn’t you?”

“Yes.” He answered immediately.

“How about I invite them to the estate after we arrive. We could use this as a practice run for…”

“Are you considering telling everyone else about us?”

Padmé bit her lip. “It would be nice wouldn’t it?”

Anakin looked off to the Jedi temple as the sun sank below the horizon. “They do owe me something for all I’ve done for them during this war. And I am their precious Chosen One. They will not part us Padmé. I promise.”

The happy couple snuggled together even more, dreaming of a bright future without war, secrets and deception.

* * *

Anakin could see Padmé. The sight of her could always bring a smile to his face.

“Anakin!”

Feelings of happiness and warmth now suddenly fled from him. Instead a steady growth of dread and pain filled him.

“Anakin!” Padmé cried again.

She was in pain. He had to get to her. Panic began to overwhelm him. She was dying in childbirth.

“Anakin!” Her voice was becoming distorted and was becoming louder.

“Anakin! Wake up!”

His eyes opened to see Padmé leaning over him while shaking him.

“Can you hear me? Say something.” She said hurriedly.

Anakin immediately reached for his wife. She was real and not a dream. “You’re alright?”

Padmé placed her hand over her husbands. “Of course. I was having trouble waking you, you were having a nightmare.”

The Jedi ran a hand over his face. The dream had been so real, so certain in its outcome. Like the ones he had about his mother several years before.

“Do you have these often?” Padmé hated to ask the question, but Anakin had been away for so long now that he may have developed nightmares while out in the Outer Rim. She hated that the war was keeping them apart. What it was doing to the people she loved.

“No.” Was all he said after a moment. Anakin pushed himself up off the bed. 

Padmé’s eyes followed him as he started to pace the room. She waited for him to say something before gently questioning him. “What was it then?”

“It… it wasn’t a dream. It was a vision.” He answered slowly.

An uneasy feeling settled in Padmé’s stomach. The only other time something like this had happened was with his mother and the visions he had leading up to her death. “From the force? Like with your mother?”

Anakin only nodded.

“What happened?” She said as she got off the bed. Her question caused Anakin to stop his pacing.

“I remember when I made that.” Her husband pointed to the japor snippet he had carved years ago that lay on her night stand. 

“Anakin. What happened?” She pressed.

Anakin bowed his head in pain. “You died in childbirth.” He whispered not daring to say it louder than he needed.

His statement hit her as slightly absurd. The chances of dying in labor were very low. Her first instinct was to deny the possibility, but this was the force they were dealing with. It was something she knew little about and Anakin was far more powerful with the force than any Jedi in the galaxy. He had also been right about his mother.

Crossing the distance between them she wrapped her arms around him. He eventually returned the embrace. “We need help Ani.” Padmé said into his chest. “We need to tell the council about your visions. I’ll go back to the doctors to see if anything is wrong. I’ll even get a medical droid and stay here on Coruscant if traveling is too dangerous.”

Anakin tightened their embrace. “I can’t lose you too.”

* * *

Anakin drove Padmé’s speeder as carefully as possible through the traffic of Coruscant. His wife however was not pleased with is driving.

“Really Anakin. You’re the best pilot in the galaxy. I’m sure you can drive a little faster than this. I do have several meetings to get to today.”

“Just being careful milady.”

Padmé couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “3PO will let me know when my next medical appointment is. I’ll let you know tonight.”

Their speeder landed at the secured bay for senators at the Senate Office Building. Several clone troopers approached them as Anakin helped his secret wife out of the speeder.

“Good morning mam, sir.” The lead trooper said. “Identification please.”

The pair handed over their IDs and were waived through after inspection. 

“Have a good day Senator, General.”

Anakin usually left his wife at the landing bay if he accompanied her to work, though today he walked her all the way up to her office.

Near Padmé’s senate office they came across Chancellor Palpatine. His face lit up in a bright smile when he saw the pair. “Ah, Skywalker I was going to call on you later today. But it seems you have come to me.” 

Padmé and Anakin shared one last quick glance for the morning and began to move away from each other. “Thank you again for the escort. It is always comforting to have a Jedi around.” Padmé said as she opened the door to her office.

Anakin gave a short bow as his wife entered her office. “The pleasure is mine milady.” When he looked back to the Chancellor the man was still standing there smiling.

“Come, come.” The elder man said as he wrapped an arm around the Jedi. “Let’s go to my office. I have some important news to share with you.”

At the Chancellors’ private office Anakin noticed the man became even more happy.

“You will be pleased to know that our clone intelligence units have located General Grievous. He is hiding, in the Utapau system.”

The news shocked Anakin. After Grievous’s escape from the _ Invisible Hand _he thought the cyborg would go into hiding for a while. He must have not done so very well if he was found out this fast.

“That is good news. At last we can end this war when we destroy that monster.” The Jedi said.

The Chancellor was pleased with the young man’s words and determination. “Yes. Yes we finally have peace after all the years of struggle.” Moving to the window behind his desk the Chancellor looked out across the myriad of buildings towards the Jedi Temple.

“I am hoping you will share this information with the Jedi council. Perhaps they can organize a strike force to deal with Grievous.”

“I will Chancellor, but I’m not sure they will be too pleased to hear it from me.”

“Oh?” Palptaine said as he turned to face Anakin. “Would they be more receptive to my personal representative to the Jedi council then?”

Anakin’s mind raced there was no such position. Looking back to the Chancellor the man was smiling again. “You mean to name me to this position?”

“But who else would I?” Palpatine wrapped an arm around Anakin and began to walk around the room. “I trust no one else more than you amongst the Jedi. This is a vital task now for the war. We are so close to the end of it all. Having you as my representative will help smooth things along to their conclusion.”

“I suppose.” Anakin said warily. “The council will not like this interference with their affairs.”

Palpatine sighed. “I understand they have their reservations, about me, and you. We are just trying to help the ones we love. I love the Republic. I have devoted my whole life to service.” The man stopped and took on a more contemplative look. “I wonder if it is because the Jedi forbid attachments and love that they have… overlooked… its importance in why we serve others.”

Anakin tried to hide his nervous shift. He could not think of what to say. He trusted the Chancellor like a surrogate father, but he also worked in the Senate with Padmé.

With a knowing look the older man continued. “I do wish the Jedi would see things differently sometimes. I have heard of other sects of force users that do allow for such things, in fact they encourage passion and allow their members to be together with one another.”

Anakin's mind raced. What was he talking about? “Other sects? The only other sect beyond the Jedi are the Sith.”

“Yes, that is what they are called. Force users are such a curious group sometimes. Sometimes they look all the same from the outside, but when you learn more about them you can start to see the differences.”

Anakin's com beeped. “It’s the council. They want to see me immediately. Good day Chancellor. I will tell them about Grievous.”

“And to you young Skywalker. I am sure we will speak again very soon.”

* * *

As he got off the lift at the council chambers the first thing Anakin noticed was several Jedi knights standing outside the chamber doors. They said nothing to him and watched him as he proceeded to the chamber. An uneasy feeling settled through the force at what was transpiring inside those doors.

Inside the mood was not any better. The entire council had assembled in person, something that was a little odd given the ongoing war effort.

Anakin bowed to the room. “Masters. I bring news about…”

Master Windu cut him off. “We are not assembled to listen to you Skywalker. You have been called before this council to listen to our judgement.”

Anakin straightened out. “Judgement?” He looked around the room Windu seemed to hold him in contempt; most of the others were neutral. Only his former master Obi Wan and Grandmaster Yoda seemed saddened.

“Broken the code you have.” Master Yoda pointed at the young man in the center of the room.

Anakin’s heart sank. They knew, somehow they knew. How? He and Padmé had been so careful, or as careful as they could bear.

Yoda sighed and rested his chin on his hands. “Read your emotions, we do.”

“You are involved with Senator Amidala.” Windu said flatly.

“She is my wife.” Anakin replied forcing himself to remain centered while multitude of emotions churned inside of him. Fear, anger, hopelessness at what was taking place. Taking a deep breath he tried to push his emotions into the force.

The council began to murmur amongst themselves at his confession. 

A small part of him felt relieved he was no longer living a lie, one that had been so hard to do so these past three years. But how would Padmé take this? Would the Jedi tell everyone before they were ready to come out now that he was surely done as a Jedi. A surge of anger bolted through him. It would be just another aspect of his life the Jedi controlled even if they threw him out.

He would still need their help though; perhaps they could discern his visions with him and help save Padmé. “I have served the Jedi for years now.” He began as calmly as he could. “I have fought in more battles than many Jedi have ever in the history of the order. It is also not unheard of for a Jedi to marry. Revan did so when…”

“You mention the name of a fallen Jedi who joined the Sith in an attempt to destroy the Republic as your defense?” Windu exclaimed. “I am right to be worried about you Skywalker.”

Anakin did the last thing he could think of and turned to his former master. “I’ve been having visions about Padmé, like I did with my mother.” He said quickly. “I am begging for your help in this.”

Obi-Wan felt a twinge of guilt at Anakin's words. He could feel the truth of Anakin's words and the desperation clawing at the man.

“Visions you say?” Master Yoda asked.

“Before his mother died, Anakin had visions of her death. They became more and more frequent. This was before I left to find the bounty hunter who attacked Senator Amidala.” He said to Yoda before turning back to his former padawan. “And right before, I imagine, the two became attached to one another.”

Anakin fought the urge to bow his head in shame. He was not ashamed of his love for Padmé or her love for him. He would bow to now one again out of fear.

“Hmmmm.” Master Yoda closed his eyes and reached out into the force. “Clouded your vision is with emotion. Difficult to see, the future is Skywalker. Learn to free yourself from these feelings you should. Failed in this regard we have.”

Anakin fumed at Master Yoda’s response. They counseled him on simply being at ease with Padmé and their child possibly dying. As if it were no different that the rising and the setting of the sun.

Windu leaned forward in his chair. “The fact remains you have broken the code.”

“We also know about the Chancellors request to have you placed on this council.” Master Mundi added.

“Yes, very worrying this is.” Yoda said. “Servants of the Republic the Jedi are, not of the Chancellor.”

Anakin's desperation grew. He knew he would receive no help from the rest of the council. “Obi-Wan I am still asking for your help. Padmé is as well; she trusts you. We just want to live our lives in peace.”

For a moment Obi-Wan held Ankins gaze, but looked away.

Anakin stood there stunned, not one of them would help him. Not even Obi-Wan; he thought Obi-Wan cared about him, about Padmé.

“Remove you of your rank as a Jedi knight this council does.” Yoda said with finality. The door to the chamber opened and the knights who had been outside entered the room. “Your lightsaber, hand over you shall.”

Anakin grit his teeth. “What is this?” He glared at the room.

“Into custody we take you. Safety for all, ensure we must.”

Anger threatened to spill over from Anakin. He was the Chosen One, the best duelist, and pilot in the entire order. Who were they to hold him, to threaten him, to keep him apart from his wife and child!

“Anakin.” Obi-Wan rose and approached his former padawan slowly. “Your lightsaber, please.” He said softly. “It’s only temporary, until the war is over.” 

The man held out his hand.

Anakin stared at it. He could chop it off, he could take the entire room and there was little these fools could do to stop him. From over Obi Wan's shoulder he could see the Senate building. Padmé would not want him to harm them, no matter how much he wanted to. No he would bid his time.

Reaching slowly into his robes he withdrew his lightsaber, he had spent hours crafting it to get it just the way he wanted. He placed it in Obi Wan's hands, disgust firmly etched on his face.

Without another word or look at the rest of the council he turned and followed the knights out of the room and into the elevator.

Obi-Wan stood still in the center of the room and watched as the doors closed on Anakin. “I hope we have not made a mistake.”

“Uncertain the future is. Fallen the shroud of the dark side has. Careful we must be, or to a dark place we may tread.” Yoda said wisely.

An uneasy silence fell over the council.

“Isn’t the senator with child?” Master Windu asked.

“I believe so.” Obi-Wan replied. “She’s done a good job of hiding it from the media.” Obi-Wan watched as Master Windu seemed to contemplate something, unaware of what the other man was thinking.

* * *

The elevator opened up at the ground floor of the temple. Anakin followed the group of knights assembled around him towards the elevator that would take them to the lower levels. Looking at the Coursant skyline he could see speeders outside the building. Now was his chance.

With a bust of the force he raced towards the speeders. Shouts behind him rang out as he pushed past a group of younglings. He doubted that the Jedi would pull their weapons on him in the middle of the temple as he was trying to get away from him.

When he reached the nearest open cockpit speeder he hopped in and powered it up. He had to make it to Padmé and leave the planet before the Jedi could catch him. He was almost free of everything, the war, the Jedi and all their commitments. The only commitment he wanted was to Padmé and their child.

With all his skill as a pilot he pushed the speeder to its limit and fled the temple for the direction of the Senate District.

* * *

Her day at the Senate had been a trying one. After speaking with the Chancellor for what must have been the hundredth time about her concerns over more executive power being given to him she had actually taken his advice and returned home.

“Oh. Mistress Padmé. I wasn’t expecting you home this early.” 3PO said as he saw her enter.

“Hello 3PO.” She sighed as she sat down on the nearest couch and removed her outer cloak. “Could you fix a quick snack for me? I’m going to take a nap before Anakin comes home.”

The golden droid turned and headed for the kitchen. “Certainly mistress Padmé.”

Padmé tried to rub her back the best she could. She would have to find something in the medical cabinet to take care of the soreness. If Anakin were here she could ask him to rub it for her.

The door chime interrupted her thoughts.

She was met at the door by Master Windu and several Jedi.

She offered the best smile she could at the moment. “Master Windu. Can I be of service?”

“Where is your husband?” The man said quickly as he looked over her shoulder.

Padmé took a step back surprised by his question. “What?”

He slid past her and into the apartment. For a moment he stopped and closed his eyes. Padmé had the distinct feeling he was searching the force for Anakin.

“Anakin is not here.” She said as she put her senatorial persona on. “I would appreciate it, master Jedi, if I could be assured of your discretion in this matter. I do not know how you found out…”

The Jedi turned to face her. “You will come with us milady.” He reached out and took hold of her arm.

“What?” Padmé cried. “Let go of me.” She tried to break free of his hold. “I am a member of the senate. You have no right to detain me.”

“This is an internal matter of the Jedi.”

Padmé scoffed. “Being married is not an internal matter of the Jedi.”

Windu glanced at her stomach. “It is now.”

Her child. They wanted her child. “No.” She redoubled her efforts to free herself. “Captain Typho, help! Captain…”

Master Windu waved his hand and Padmé fainted into his arms. Collecting the senator the group of Jedi walked past the Naboo security officer and his men, unable to do anything as they were frozen where they stood by the force.

In the room behind them 3PO and R2 watched on helplessly. “Oh my. We must contact Master Anakin at once R2!” R2 beeped wordily in agreement.

* * *

After reaching the Senate Office Building and getting past security Anakin ran through the halls, ignoring the strange looks he was getting from others as he passed by them.

Once at his wife’s office, he reached for the door control. “Padmé.” He nearly yelled as he looked around wildly for her. The only person in the room was her startled handmaiden Moteé.

“I’m sorry, Senator Amidala isn’t here.” She eyed the Jedi with some concern. Her mistresses’ personal business was her own and she was sworn to secrecy, but she could not help but wonder what the Jedi Anakin Skywalker was so worried about.

“Do you know where she is then?”

“She was going to meet with the Supreme Chancellor in his office.” She replied.

Anakin turned and ran out the door as quickly as he could. “Thank you…ah….” He called back over his shoulder, he never could tell Padmé’s handmaidens apart, though he supposed that was the point. They all dressed and looked the same.

After another mad dash through the building he reached the Chancellor's office. Attempting to smooth out his robes and collect his breath he entered the room.

Chancellor Palpatine looked up from his desk. He could feel the fear and anxiety flowing through the young Jedi. He could not help but smile. Of course the boy had come to him for help.

“Anakin.” He said as he rose from his seat. “What can I do for you my boy? Not having trouble with the council are you?”

Anakin folded his hands together inside his robe. “Is Senator Amidala here? I was told she was speaking with you.”

“She was earlier. She was feeling fatigued and I recommended she take the rest of the day off. She said she was going to return home.”

“I see. Thank you Chancellor.” Anakin looked around the room. How was he going to explain his presence and looking for Padmé?

Palpatine made his way around his desk. “Is the council going to take action against General Grievous?”

Anakin’s shoulders dropped. “No. They would not listen. And I have been… removed from the Jedi order.”

Palpatine frowned and approached Anakin. “Do you not think it strange they refuse to act on good intelligence to end the war?”

Anakin considered his question. “It is odd. They didn’t even want to hear about Grievous.”

“Some might think that is a Separatist plot.” The chancellor said as he slowly walked past Anakin.

Anakin couldn’t believe this. “They aren’t Separatist Chancellor. They have been fighting these past three years for the Republic.” They may have thrown him out of the order, but they were not Separatist.

“Hmm. If not Separatist then, perhaps they seek their own power. Power over the Republic itself. Consider this; they have the power to end the war right now, but they continue to wait and draw the war out even longer.”

“I…I don’t know.”

Anakin’s com beeped. Reaching down he could see it was from 3PO. Padmé must have arrived at their apartment by now.

“What is it 3PO?”

C-3PO’s worried voice came across the com link. “Oh Master Anakin! They took her!” 

Anakin’s blood ran cold. “Took her? Who took who?”

“The Jedi! They came and took mistress Padmé. I don’t know where, I’m only an etiquette droid I’m not designed for combat, if I was I would have…”

The comlink in Anakin’s hand broke under the pressure from his mechanical hand. The lights in the room flickered as his anger threatened to consume him. Only when the Chancellor spoke did he come back to the present.

“I knew it. The Jedi are taking over. We must act quickly if the Republic is to survive.” Palpatine hurried over to one of the statues in the room. A tray appeared after he pressed a secret button on the base of the statue.

“Take this.” He said holding out a lightsaber. “They seized yours did they not?”

“Yes.” Anakin said; watching as his arms seemed to move of their own accord. How did the Chancellor have such a thing in his office?

Palpatine made his way back to his desk. “The Jedi will have taken Senator Amidala to the temple. They will undoubtedly move against other Senators as well. Take the 501st. Go to the temple and put this rebellion down before it can grow any larger. All Jedi are now enemies of the Republic.”

“How do you have this?” Anakin asked from where he stood. “How do you know things about the force?”

“There are many mysteries to the force. One must not limit one’s self to the dogmatic view of the Jedi. Embrace your passion, embrace your anger. Only then will you have the power to save your wife.”

The Chancellor knew as well? What did it matter at this point? Their secret was out and Padmé had been taken. He could not lose her and their child.

“Do what must be done.” Palpatine implored him, his voice taking on an unnatural tone to it.

Conflicted Ankin turned and ran once more out of the office, never noticing the wild smile that had broken out on Palpatine's face.

The Supreme Chancellor dialed up the comlink on his desk. The time had come.

“To all clone commanders from this moment forth, the Jedi are enemies of the Republic. They have moved against Senate and the very foundations of the Republic. Only the Jedi Anakin Skywalker is to be spared, all others are to be eliminated. Execute order 66.”

* * *

Inside the medical wing of the Jedi temple Mace Windu laid Padmé on a medical table. A nearby med droid hovered over and began its examination as Windu watched.

Padmé’s eyes fluttered open and then closed again under the bright light above her. “You.” She growled at Windu with what little force she could summon.

“The subject is carrying healthy twins, a boy and a girl, both are near full term.” The droid intoned to the Jedi.

“Is there any way to determine their midi-chlorian count?”

“That would not be recommended at this time. They are nearly ready to be born. A blood sample could be collected then.”

Windu frowned and approached the table. Padmé stared him down all the way.

“You’re not touching my children.” She and Anakin had wanted it to be a surprise and the droid had spoiled a private moment of happiness for her and her husband. At least they had chosen a name for both a boy and a girl. They would be using both now.

“Your children are the offspring of the Chosen One. There is no telling how strong in the force they will be. Or what darkness runs in their veins.” Windu said as he stretched out his hand.

Padmé recoiled as much as she could on the table. She didn’t get far before she felt something inside her. What was he doing to her, to her children? “No!” He was probing her children she could feel it. “No!” She cried out again as something was draining her strength from her as Windu continued to reach out with the force.

“Stop!”

Padmé gasped as the sensation stopped. Her head spun as she tried to focus on what was happening in the room around her.

Windu withdrew his hand and looked over his shoulder. Obi-Wan stood in the entrance to the medical bay.

“What is going on here?” He said with an edge to his voice as he looked back and forth between his friend Senator Amidala and his fellow council member.

“Her children are strong with the force, just like their father.” Windu began. “I sense a plot to destroy the Jedi. The dark side has been growing stronger for months now. Master Yoda has felt it best to keep this from the rest of the council, but we must take action if the order is to survive.

Obi-Wan crossed his arms. “And this is how we protect the order? By holding a pregnant member of the Senate hostage?”

“They must be the growing darkness that Yoda has felt.” Windu ranted while pointing at Padmé. “They will be just like him, strong in the force and easy to fall to the dark. The order must keep them away from the Sith.”

“We cannot know that. The dark side is clouding all our vision.”

The med droid let off several alarms and rushed over to Padmé. “The subject is going into labor and we are losing her life signs. We will need to hurry if we are to save the babies.”

* * *

Anakin's mind continued to race as he entered the Republic barracks near the Senate District. Why had they taken Padmé? Were they truly attempting to overthrow the Republic? Is that why they had wanted to take him into custody? They must have known he would have sided with Padmé and the Senate over them.

At the barracks Anakin could see the clones were reading themselves for battle.

“Sir.” The clone commander saluted as Anakin approached him. “What are you orders general?”

“We take the Jedi temple. They’ve seized a senator and are holding her hostage inside.”

“Yes sir.” The commander replied and motioned to the clone behind him. “Lieutenant, move them out.”

* * *

The med droid hovered at the end of the table and made soothing noises as pain shot through Padmé.

“Please push through the contractions.” The droid commanded lightly.

If she had the strength to scream at the droid she would have. Instead she did as instructed and tried to focus on delivering the first of her children.

She glanced at Obi-Wan. He was a friend and they had known each other for years. He also seemed to hold no disregard for her giving birth to his former padawans children. Not like Master Windu had.

But she did not want Obi-Wan here, she wanted Anakin.

After several more attempts she finally laid her head back as the droid congratulated her.

“Congratulations. It is a boy.”

Padmé followed the droid the best she could with her eyes as it cleaned her son and wrapped him snuggly in a blanket.

“Luke.”

“What was that Padmé.” Obi-Wan said as he approached the table. He had stayed at the edges of the room, wanting to provide any comfort he could for his friend, but conflicted over his emotions on the events transpiring.

“His name is Luke.”

Obi-Wan nodded in understanding but could not help but notice Padmé was utterly worn out. Could she do this again?

* * *

The clones followed Anakin up the temple steps marching in perfect time. Anakin looked up at the statues and spires of the temple. Just this morning he had entered this same building a Jedi knight and eager for the council help. Now they were holding his wife a prisoner within. They would pay dearly.

At the top of the stairs Anakin could see that the temple doors were closed. They were most likely locked and his passcode would have been deleted from the system if the Jedi had any sense. But sense was something they seemed to be lacking recently he thought.

Punching in his access code it didn’t work.

“We’ll bring some detpacks up right away sir.” The commander said from behind him.

Ignoring the clone Anakin reached out with the force. He found the locking mechanism for the door and began forcing it apart.

The clones backed away warily as the door and the foundation itself began to buckle.

He hated the Jedi, what did they think? That they could keep her away from him? That they could somehow take over the Republic? He would not let them. No! Their machinations stopped here and now! Tapping into his anger he ripped the giant doors from their place and threw them aside.

The clones watched on in awe, they had seen many different things during the wars. Including acts of the force from Jedi, but this was like nothing else.

Just inside the temple a handful of Jedi had gathered at the entrance. They looked on apprehensively at Anakin and the clones.

“Where is she?” He bellowed as he reached in his robes for the lightsaber. The Jedi said nothing but reached for their own lightsabers. Anakin raised his hand and grabbed the nearest Jedi with the force and pulled him into his grasp. “Where. Is. My. Wife!” He growled.

The man looked Anakin in the eyes with defiance. “I don’t answer to traitors.”

Anger surged through Anakin's body. He forced the man to his knees. “Then I will take what I need.”

He reached out and into the mind of the knight searching for Padmé’s location. 

The Jedi had seen them enter the temple. Padmé was unconscious and was being carried by Windu. The Jedi overheard them say they were taking her to the medical wing.

Rage now overflowed Anakin. How dare Windu touch his wife. How dare the Jedi order think they could harm his family. If they harmed her or their baby… Anakin screamed in fury as the let go of the Jedi. The knights’ mind destroyed by the force, he fell to the side dead.

Anakin ignited the crimson blade and brought it up to an attacking stance.

Behind him the clones readied their weapons. “Open fire! Kill the Jedi!” the commander ordered. Blaster shots flew past Anakin and he made a run towards the Jedi. They were preoccupied with deflecting incoming blaster fire to adequately defend against him.

The first one fell too easily. He parried some blows from the next two before one was cut down by blaster fire. With only one remaining enemy Anakin pushed him against a column with the force. The knights’ bones cracked viciously under the assault before his body crumpled to the ground.

He could see more Jedi rushing to the entrance, their lightsabers glowing in blues, greens and yellows. These fools will not stop him; they could not hope to match his strength. He was the Chosen One; they were nothing next to him.

Clone troopers poured into the temple and took up firing positions. Blue blaster bolts shot out all around the temple as the clones fought the Jedi inside.

He had no time for this. The medical wing was on the far side of the hall. Padmé was there he could feel her. 

She was in pain.

* * *

“Ignore what is going on out there Padmé you must focus on the here and now.” Obi-Wan said resisting the urge to check on the door. From outside he could hear the explosions and the sounds of battle. He had no idea what was going on out there. For the moment he was needed in the medical room.

“Once more. Push please.” The med droid commanded in its soft voice.

Gathering her limited strength Padmé bore down through the pain and delivered her daughter. Her head rolled to the side as she felt like passing out and never waking up. “Leia.” She slurred. “Her name is Leia.”

Obi-Wan watched with Luke in his arms as the med droid cleaned up the second baby. The sounds of battle outside were drawing closer. The children could not stay here. Padmé could not be moved and there was nothing else he could do for her.

“Padmé. I’m going to leave now.” He said as he took leia into his arms. “I have to get the children someplace safe. I will return for you. You will be with your children again. I promise.”

The sight of tears spilling down an exhausted Padmé were nearly unbearable. He quickly turned to leave. There were many secret passages beneath the temple complex. He doubted whoever was attacking them would know their location.

“No! Anakin!” Padmé wailed behind him. “My babies! Bring them back!”

Sorrow overcame Obi-Wan as he fled the room. As soon as he had secured Padmé and Ankin’s twins he would return to her.

The scene outside was nothing like he imagined. He suspected some sort of Separatist attack like they had done to abduct the Supreme Chancellor. Instead he was met with the sight of clone troopers firing on Jedi and padawan alike. 

Master Windu was down the hall posed to meet a man stalking towards him with a red lightsaber.

For a moment Obi-Wan stood transfixed as he looked at the man and could see his face. Anger and pain rolled off him in equal measure. Anakin.

The scene made no sense to Obi-Wan and he tried to push what he had seen as his mind playing tricks on him. Not stopping to help he pulled the children closer to him as he ran down the hallway to the tunnels, and away from the battle.

* * *

“Skywalker!”

Anakin grinned to himself as he approached Master Windu. He knew the man had always distrusted him. It would be all the more sweet to have him pay personally for taking his wife from him.

“That is far enough.” The master said as he lit his purple lightsaber. “I knew you become a slave to the Sith.”

Anakin pointed his blade at Windu and screamed. “I am no one's slave! Not the Jedi! Not the Sith! Not the prophecy! No one!”

The pair paced back and forth across the hallway. From all around them the sounds of blaster fire and shouts filled the air.

“Look around you Windu. I am the Chosen One!” Anakin declared with outstretched hands. “Did you think you could take her from me? That I would let you steal our child from us?”

Windu said nothing as he brought his blade up to his signature stance. 

Anakin seethed. “I see through the lies of Jedi. You speak of peace but have brought me none. You speak of knowledge serenity and harmony, but achieve this by denying your emotions.”

He glared at the Jedi master. “You say there is no death. But I will give it to you.” He finished solemnly.

Anakin was the first to leap. Smashing his blade furiously against his opponents he drove Windu backwards.

Windu met Anakin's blows with ease despite giving ground to the enraged man. As he felt the wall behind him he leaped up and over Anakin who pummeled the wall viciously with his red blade.

Quickly turning Windu swung at Anakin, his blow severed the former Jedi’s good arm.

For a moment to two men looked at each other. Anakin looked down at his severed arm. This was the second time he had lost a limb. If he got this one replaced as well he was starting to become more and more machine. All because of the Jedi and their demands of him.

Channeling his anger he called upon the force and grabbed Windu. The master was unable to stop Anakin as the force answered to him.

“This is the end for you master.” 

He relished the surprise in Windus eyes as he ran his blade through the man’s neck, separating his head from the rest of his body.

Moving away from the fallen remains of Windu Anakin held his arm close to himself as he entered the medical room where he felt Padmé in the force.

“Padmé!”

“Anakin?” Padmé replied weakly. “Oh, Anakin.”

Anakin raced to her side and knelt down near her tear stained face. He stroked her cheek softly as he examined her. She wasn’t as large as she had been the last time he had seen her. Had she given birth already?

Looking around the room he could not see any child. A quick exploration of the force did not detect any baby either.

Padmé smiled and leaned slightly into her husband's touch. “You came.”

“Of course I did angel. I won’t lose you Padmé.” He could feel her strength slipping through the force. “Do something.” He shouted at the med droid.

“I am sorry. But there is nothing to be done. The patient’s life signs have been falling for some time now. I suspect whatever the Jedi did has caused this.”

Anakin's heart stopped at the droids remark. He lashed out furiously at the droid with the force, its’ mechanical body crushed inward on itself until it ceased to function. He would kill every last Jedi he could get his hands on for this.

“Ani.”

Anakin looked once more at his wife and reached for her hand.

“He took, our son. Luke. Obi Wan.” Padmé’s words began to slur and her gaze became unfocused. “And our…. I… love… you.”

Anakin watched as the light left Padmé’s eyes and she stared off into the distance behind him.

“No. No. No! No!” 

Taking a breath he tried to find her life signs in the force to force her back, to do something. He would save her. He would stop all of this from happening. He could do this, if he just tried.

There was nothing.

The force was devoid of life in Padmé’s body.

Falling backwards from the table he looked at her. From his view she could be sleeping, waiting until the right time to wake up. Only she wasn’t, she was gone. Dead.

His good hand balled up into a fist. The force swirled around him like a guard dog waiting for its master to give the command to strike.

All of the smaller objects in the room were the first to go. Vials of different fluids and drugs broke all around him. Cabinets with medpacks and syringes crumpled in on themselves.

They were going to go to Naboo, to be a family, together.

“No!”

Anakin fell to his knees in grief. His vision had come true.

Obi-Wan had done this. He had taken his son Luke from him and left Padmé here to die.

“Obi-Wan! I will kill you for this!”

The force exploded in the room the walls buckled and the supports started to break. Pipes in the walls exploded and fire engulfed half the room.

From above Anakin the roof gave way. Anakin screamed as his legs were crushed under the rubble. Fire from the wall leaped forward and crawled up his back as his screams became even more agonizing.

As the flames licked at his body Anakin's fury and rage towards his former master grew hotter.

* * *

Fire and smoke rose from the Jedi temple and spread across the Coruscant skyline. The newly proclaimed emperor’s shuttle touched down near the steps to the temple. 

At last the Jedi were no more. For thousands of years the sith had waited for their revenge, it had almost been too easy at the end. 

But where was Skywalker? He thought as he ascended the steps of the temple. The young man would make a most powerful apprentice.

At the top of the stairs the clone commander bowed to Palpatine. “My lord. The rebellion has been put down.”

“Where is Skywalker?” Palpatine said as he looked up to the temples’ statues, unable to prevent the Sith lord from entering.

“Unknown my lord. He led the assault on the temple; he was the first into the doors. But with the fighting we lost contact with him. Much of the interior of the temple has been destroyed. He may be trapped somewhere inside.”

The force was nearly silent in the temple. With so many Jedi dead it was easy to find Skywalker. His force signature was drained, and broken. “Send for a medical capsule. Immediately.”

As the emperor strode through the halls he could barely contain his glee. The Jedi had failed; the arrogant fools had lacked foresight and the power of the dark side. What forbidden treasures did they hoard in their archives, away from prying eyes. He would spend hours going through them later to unlock their secrets at last.

But first he had to secure his prospective apprentice.

He could feel Skywalkers presence beyond some rubble in a ruined room. “There.” He pointed to the rubble covered doorway.

The clones quickly cleared the passage to the room and Palpatine was able to enter. 

In the middle, and the only undamaged object in the room, was a medical table with Senator Amidala on it. She was clearly dead as Palpatine sensed no life essence in her.

The rest of the room was barely recognizable from its original form. Fires raged along one of the walls and debris of all sorts littered the room.

“There he is.” The emperor pointed to a burnt man laying underneath part of the roof that had collapsed onto his legs. Bending down he placed a hand on Skywalkers head. The man was broken inside and the only emotions Palpatine could read was despair and anger.

Good. Good. He thought to himself. This would be perfect. A force of anger this strong to wield the power of the dark side would make a most agreeable apprentice. The Chosen One himself would become a Sith lord.

As the clones worked to free him one of Anakin’s eyes opened and focused on Palpatine. His form seemed to change slowly, or maybe Anakin was imagining things.

“Rise now as Lord Vader.” He said to the broken man before him. “For there is much work to be done.”

Anakin's gaze fell onto the table that held his now dead wife. The last thing he remembered before he fell into darkness was her still form, and the mad cackling of Palpatine.


End file.
